There is always one you can't forget
by Barbara87
Summary: What happened during the weeks leading up to the proposal? Missing scene's story!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:_ Yup... I don't own the sound of music... nor do I own the titel of this story, that one belongs to the wonderful Alan J Lerner

_A/N:_ So, this is my first fic, and I am scared like hell, so go easy on me. Furthermore I'd like to thank my best freak Jacq for nagging me! You're great!

_Summary: _What happened during the weeks leading up to the proposal?

**Chapter One**

_"I want you to stay… I _ask_ you to stay" _The words were ringing in her head as Maria closed the door behind her, still a little out of breath. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected those words when he followed her into the hallway. After their first meeting she knew that this man was as stubborn as she was and wouldn't give in easily. The look on his face when they fought outside proved that she was right. How different he had looked when he had apologized. His face gentle and insecure, a man who had just rediscovered his children and didn't know how to act the part.

Walking to the adjoining bathroom she suppressed the urge to dance and sing at the same time. She couldn't remember a time when felt happier than she did now. Before taking off her wet dress she turned on the hot water, not even realizing that she was whistling. While stepping under the shower, she marvelled at the Captains reaction when he heard his children sing. Even outside she had noticed a change in his behaviour, but when she heard him sing a long and even hug his children she knew that she wasn't seeing things. She had known all along that all that he needed was a push in the right direction, but she had never dared to hope that he would change so soon and so sudden.

Maria closed her eyes, enjoying the warm water. She knew she had to get dressed and meet the children but she couldn't resist the temptation of staying in the shower a while longer. After all, the lake water had been cold and falling into it hadn't been pleasant even though the outcome was something she would always be grateful for. She smiled when she thought about how those children finally got what they really wanted: their father back. No more need for nasty tricks to get rid of some horrible governess, they finally had their fathers attention.

Reaching for a towel she stepped out into the cold air. Rubbing herself dry she went to her room to grab a new dress, reprimanding herself for not doing this before. Remembering the state she was in before her shower she grinned as she realized it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

She returned to her bathroom and put on her dress. After drying her hair and running a hairbrush through it, she looked into the mirror to check her appearance one last time and couldn't suppress her laughter as she saw sparkling blue eyes, red cheeks and a bright smile. An unruly hairdo completed the picture. She rolled her eyes at her childish enthusiasm and walked to the door to go downstairs and meet the children and their father.

* * *

Descending the stairs Maria didn't have to guess where the children were, the noise they made, lead her to them directly. They were playing a game of tag outside in the garden with the Captain and the Baroness looking on. The moment Maria stepped out onto the terrace Gretl noticed her and motioned to Maria that she had to join them in their game. 

The Captain saw Maria walking over to the group and give Gretl a small hug before running off to chase Friedrich down. A small smile appeared on his face, he knew this _Fräulein_ was somehow special and he would be forever grateful to her for making him see how important his family was. He couldn't remember a time when he could simply enjoy watching his children running around the grand garden chasing each other.

A soft voice pulled him back to the present. "Georg, is anything wrong?" He blinked a couple of times before his eyes landed on Elsa, who was sliding her hand in his.

"Hmm? Oh nothing darling. Just hoping that that dreadful first meeting with my children hasn't scared you off." He smiled at her and patted her hand.

Reassured by his answer she laughed, "Oh Georg! You really are terrible!" The Captain feigned a shocked expression, but his eyes twinkled, blowing his cover.

They remained silent for a while and the eyes of the Captain returned to the group on the lawn. This time Brigitta was running after Louisa but she was a little too fast for her younger sibling. His eyes landed on _her,_ the young lady that only one hour ago stood up to him. He couldn't figure out why he was so intrigued by her. She was only the governess after all. She looked up and their eyes met. She smiled at him, before running off again.

Elsa followed his gaze and frowned, she wondered why all of the sudden he was so fascinated with his children. Of course she knew he was a father, but he had never really talked about them. Sure, a lavish party wasn't the time and place to talk about these things but somehow she had never really thought about him being a father. She definitely hadn't expected him to be the kind of father who sang with his children nor the type of man who found watching his children play a wonderful way to spend his day. The man she met in Vienna was independent and she was captivated by his dark side, not the kind of man who would give in easily. But that's what he did when he came back from the terrace after his fight with the governess… Maybe she was just overanalyzing things, after all, she hadn't seen him with his children before had she? She didn't have to worry. Even if he _was_ different from the way he was in Vienna, the reason he asked her here was obvious, he was thinking about marrying her. That hadn't changed had it? No, she was sure it hadn't.

* * *

Yeah, I know, rather short, the rest will be longer. That is, if you would like to read more? Please review, I'd love to know what you guys think! 


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own the movie.. nor the title._

_A/N: So here is the second chapter, I hope you all like it. Thanks for the reviews, they mean a lot. Also I would like to thank Jacq again for being my loyal and critical Beta ( Is there anything that escapes your eye?) and also for boasting my ego when I need it. _

_So I won't keep you any longer, here it is! _

**Chapter Two**

The night was clear and the stars were shining bright but the Captain didn't see it, he was standing outside on his balcony trying to get a grip on what had happened that day. There were many days in his life that he had vowed always to remember but today had been a day that he would never forget, even if he tried. It had taken him by surprise, he still couldn't believe what he had done. But why had it? Why didn't he see it coming? Even on that first day he had already seen that that governess was different from the others but he had merely thought it was because of her youth and energy.

_And because of her will to disobey my commands, _he thought wryly.

He must have been blind for not realizing that she would change the household. Or distracted, for anyone could have seen that someone like her, who claimed to be a lot of trouble and proved it by soaking his children in the lake, would do so. When he came back from Vienna he had hardly recognized his house. It was brighter and sunnier and it was all her doing.

But that still didn't explain why he had let her. Why he had fired her and then took it back. That wasn't like him, changing his mind wasn't like him. When he had sent his children to their rooms to change his mind was already set: she couldn't stay. He had expected that his children would scare her away, but they hadn't. Instead they had come to care for her and he knew that if he wouldn't handle this soon, there would be no turning back to the way it was before. He had his reasons for the way he had treated his children all these years and now he gave them up at the drop of a hat. It is not like he wanted to hurt his children, no he wanted to protect them. He had learned in the navy how to close himself off to stay focused on what was important, so when his wife died that was what he had done. Losing her was the most painful day of his life and then having to learn how to live his life without the love of his life beside him, made him ache like nothing ever before. He didn't want his children to go through the same thing, they were too young to live with the loss of their mother and he wanted to do everything he could to ease their pain. He was sure that a strict upbringing was just what they needed so they wouldn't have to think about her. So he wouldn't have to think about her. They had needed to move on, but that was impossible while her memory was still around.

But when he heard his children sing that song for Elsa, it felt almost pure, as though he could finally live with her memory without it feeling like stakes were pushed through his heart. What had changed him? Maybe it was more of a question of _who _had changed him? Elsa? He had told her that she was his saviour but he knew it to be only part of the truth. The governess? He rejected the thought but a little voice told him that perhaps she had changed more than just his gloomy household. Maybe _she_ had changed him? Her bluntness in their conversations had pushed his buttons more than once but maybe, just maybe, that had happened because he knew what she said was the truth. When she had told him his children had been in the centre of the town dressed in drapes, he didn't know what angered him more: the fact that the children of Captain Georg von Trapp had been seen in drapes or the way she had told him. But when she had told him why she had done it he couldn't help it but agree with her. Perhaps he had been wrong in thinking that his children needed to grow up and that lecture the governess gave him on the terrace was just what he had needed to come to his senses. His children feared him. He didn't know if anything had shocked him more than hearing her say those words: _They fear you too much. _She was right when she had told him he wasn't home long enough, he didn't even know them well enough to see that his own children were afraid of him. He wasn't home long enough to see that he was pushing his children farther and farther away. He had made so many mistakes since his wife died but it took a stubborn nun for him to see them.

He had to thank her. He needed to show her how much she had done for his children and for him. If she hadn't come to his house he would still be the same and there wasn't a fibre in his body that wanted to return to that situation.

Funny, he had never thanked anybody before for yelling at him.

* * *

"Fräulein Maria!!! Wake up!!!" 

Maria opened her eyes and groaned when she heard Gretl call for her. The little girl jumped on her bed and Maria knew she had to chastise her for being too loud and for jumping on the bed but Gretl was so happy to see her that she felt she couldn't. She was still amazed at the affection the children showed her, having heard of all the tricks they had played on former governesses she had wondered why they had gone so easy on her. After the thunderstorm they had grown closer and the children had started to trust her. Liesl had continued to confide in her, she told Maria practically everything about Rolf , Friedrich had developed a small crush on her even though he tried to hide it, unfortunately for him he didn't really succeed. Louisa was still a mystery like she had told the Captain but she hadn't found any spiders in her bed yet so she took that as a good sign. Kurt told her funny stories and made her laugh, Brigitta had remained hidden behind her books but when they did talk Maria thought her to be wise beyond her years and the little girls were begging for her attention and had taken every opportunity to ask for a hug.

By this time Marta had also arrived and Maria opened her arms to give the two girl as hug. After that she offered them a seat next to her in her bed under the covers which they gladly accepted.

"Are your brothers and sisters awake yet?" Maria asked as the little girls snuggled closer against her. She couldn't imagine anyone being asleep, the noise Gretl made must have woken everyone in the Villa. When both of the girls nodded she continued, "Shall we wait here for them or do you want to go to them and get dressed?"

"No!" Gretl exclaimed and Marta shook her head fiercely.

"No?" Maria smiled, "You don't want to go to your brothers and sisters and get dressed for breakfast?"

The shocked faces made her laugh, "Well, let's stay right here then."

The bright smiles on the face of the two melted Maria's heart, and suddenly her mornings at the Abbey seemed far away.

"So, what did you girls dream about last night?" Maria asked, changing the subject.

Gretl thought for a while and suddenly remembered: "I dreamed I had a white pony that I rode on and her name was White Pearl and she was very sweet! We rode in the forest and you were there and everyone else too. We went really fast and I wasn't even scared Fräulein!"

"You must have been very brave Gretl!"

"Do you think father will buy me a pony if I asked him Fräulein Maria?" Gretl asked with sudden interest, sitting up straight in bed.

Maria laughed at the thought, "Probably not but why don't you ask him yourself, darling, perhaps he will for your birthday."

Satisfied with the answer, Gretl cuddled against Maria again.

"And you Marta?" Maria asked, " Did you have a beautiful dream?"

"I can't remember…" She trailed off.

"You don't? Not even a little bit? Try to remember!" Maria gently encouraged her.

"Well… Oh yes! My dream was about my pink parasol! " She smiled and continued enthusiastically, " Everyone thought it was very pretty!"

Maria grinned for only a child could have such innocent dreams. "Yes it is very pretty Marta! Have you thanked your father for it already?"

At the mention of the Captain Maria's thoughts went back to the evening before when he had been so nice to the children and to her. Still, she could tell that he was really uneasy about his new relationship with the children and that he didn't know how to act around them. Their dinner last night resembled the one they had had on her first night at the Villa and even though the Captain was much friendlier the mood was tense and Maria did her best to keep a conversation going. She also noticed that the children had great difficulty dealing with the new situation, they had no idea about what they could and what they couldn't do. She knew that the children were worried about the sudden change in their father and were wondering if it would last or if he would change back into the distant and strict father they had known.

Marta's soft voice pulled her back to the present: "…. you dream about Fräulein Maria?"

"What did you say darling?" Maria answered, shaking her head lightly.

"I said, what did you dream about Fräulein Maria?" Marta said giggling.

"Oh… I have to think about that…" Maria pursed her lips in thought but images of the Captain filled her mind. Her eyes widened and her cheeks burned as realisation dawned on her: she had dreamed about the Captain. Not about the children or the nuns at the Abbey but about the Captain.

That was impossible. She couldn't have dreamed about her _employer. _No, that was simply not possible.

She was staring at the white wall, shocked at her own realisation, when she remembered Marta and Gretl who were looking at her in a funny way. "I can't remember my dream either girls, but it's time for us to go to your brother and sisters and make sure that all of you get dressed!"

The girls nodded and got out of bed and turned to Maria. "Why don't you girls run along, I will change and come help you get ready!" The girls turned around and ran to their room, happy about the special time they just had with their governess.

As soon as Maria was alone again, she sat down on the bed again and played her dream all over again in her head. This wasn't happening, why would she dream about the Captain? It didn't mean anything, did it? Maybe she was just overreacting, it's not like she hadn't dreamed about other people before. Yesterday had been a big day and the excitement just got to her… Yes, that had to be it, there wasn't any other explanation, she was just happy that the Captain had found his children again and it was such a relief that she had dreamed about him. It couldn't have been anything else so that _had _to be the answer. It had to be.

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Liked it? Hated it? Let me know anyway! Please leave a little review. 


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